O PURPETIELLO E SCOGLIO
 
Stonghe annascuse a mare dinte e scoglie
e mangio erbe e mare quann’e’ ascuro
me scetane cu’ a lampare si nun voglio
e spisse sente e botte e lanzaturo
 
Ma comme s’adda fa’ pe’ ghienghe a panza
e a do’ te ne’ puo’ ghi’ si’ fore e vierno
me tocca a commina’ cu’ a capa annanze
e per difesa m’aggia azzecca’ cu’ e cierne
 
Che brutta vita e chesta mai stai felice
ma comme hanna passa’ sti’ mise e st’anne
m’acchiappo m’bocca stu’ bellu muorze alice
e me sbattene cu’ a capa n’coppe o scanno
 
M’hanna piscate da dinte a chisti scoglie
so’ ancora vivo ma’ cu’ a capa n’zallanuto
po’ me’ trovo a stu’ pranzo ca’ io nun voglio
muorte affucato vellute e po’ servute
 

di: Antonio De Girolamo

THE ROCK OCTOPUS

I’m hidden on the bottom of the sea between rocks
and I eat green sea weeds when its dark
I get awaked by a beam of light without wanting it
and often I hear the sound of a trident spear
 
but what do I have to do to fill my stomach
and where can you go if outside is winter time
I’ve got to walk swimming going head first
and for my defense I have to stick my barnacles
 
What a lousy life, I’m never happy
but how can time will pass these months and years
I grab in my mouth this nice morsel of anchovy
and they bang my head on the fishing boat bench
 
I’ve got fished out from these rocks
I’m still alive but with my head dazed
I find myself in a dinner that I don’t want to be in
choked to death boiled and than served

by: Antonio De Girolamo